A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to outdoor cooking equipment. More specifically, it relates portable grills for use with indigenous supports; so that it is especially useful in backpacking and camping.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Portable grills for cooking food over an open fire are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,569,401 to Sims shows a grill having a rectangular frame with parallel bars attached to the frame. The frame can be folded in the middle, parallel to the bars. When used, it is supported on three side walls that are hinged to the frame and can be locked in place. U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,286 to Le Grady is similar, except that the three side-wall supports are replace by bail-type supports that, when in use, are maintained in substantially vertical positions by rods extending from the center of the grill. U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,938 to Faltersack shows a plurality of parallel bars that can be assembled to form a grill by placing their ends into holes in two parallel frame members. U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,926 to Clark shows a grill similar to that of Faltersack, except that the grill is assembled by passing the parallel frame members through end loops in a plurality of parallel bars. U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,328 to Schaffer shows a grill wherein the parallel bars are hinged to one another at their ends, so that frame members are eliminated. The resulting grill is supported on hinged legs when in use. Somewhat related devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,271,326 to Kivlan and 311,662 to Knight, showing an adjustable rack and an adjustable spit, respectively.
For use in backpacking, all of these portable grills have certain disadvantages: (1) They all require special packaging in order to maintain the grill in a neatly stowable form. Otherwise, hinged parts would become unmanageable and disassembled parts could either be lost or misplaced. (2) They all require assembly, involving unfloding bracing, locking, etc. of parts before a usable grill is provided.